The SCHEDULE ratings represent what the rating would have to be for ahypothetical team to have a mathematical expectation of winning precisely 50%of their games against the schedule played by the team in question in the gamesthat it has played so far. The schedule difficulty of each given game takesinto account the rating of the opponent and the location of the game. Thisis the same concept that is used in computing the WIN50% conference ratings.

In COLLEGE FOOTBALL the W-L records include ALL games, but ONLYgames between the 245 TEAMS RATED&nbsphere are used for RATING and SCHEDULESTRENGTH computations.

To make predictions for upcoming games, simply compare the RATINGS ofthe teams in question and allow an ADDITIONAL 3 points for the hometeam. Thus, for example, a HOME team with a rating of 92 would befavored by 5 points over a VISITING team having a rating of 90.Or a VISITING team with a rating of 89 would be favored by 7 pointsover a HOME team having a rating of 79.

NOTE: Use whatever home advantage is listed in the output below.&nbsp In the example just above, a home edge of 3 was shown for&nbsp illustrative purposes. The home edge will vary during the season.

The numbers to the right of a team's schedule strengthare its rank of schedule - (in parentheses) - and itsrecord versus teams in these rating's&nbspCURRENT&nbsptop 10and top 30&nbsprespectively.

For the first few weeks of the season, the starting ratings have weightin the process(BAYESIAN), but once the teams are all WELL CONNECTED, thenthe starting ratings are no longer used and all teams are started equaland the RATING, ELO-CHESS, and PURE POINTS (PREDICTOR)&nbspare then done in an UNBIASED&nbspmanner from that point on.

The teams are now WELL CONNECTED&nbspand so all three ratings are UNBIASED.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In ELO CHESS, only winning&nbspand losing&nbspmatters; the score margin&nbspis of no consequence,which makes it very "politically correct". However it is less accurate&nbspin its predictions&nbspforupcoming games&nbspthan is the PURE POINTS, in which the score margin&nbspis the only thing&nbspthat matters.PURE POINTS&nbspis also known as PREDICTOR, BALLANTINE, RHEINGOLD, WHITE OWL&nbspand is the best single PREDICTORof future games. The ELO CHESS&nbspwill be utilized by the Bowl Championship Series(BCS).----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The overall RATING&nbspis a synthesis&nbspof the two diametrical opposites, ELO CHESS&nbspand PURE POINTS (PREDICTOR).